Do you ever think of a couple of really good characters and a great setting, but have no plot to go with them?  Maybe you think of a wonderful premise, but can’t think of anything besides the premise.  Here are a couple of tips for fleshing out your ideas.

1. Tell somebody else your ideas.  While you’re talking, your mind will fill in some of the gaps so that you can present it to them in a coherent way.  Sometimes even thinking about how you would explain your ideas to somebody gives them more substance.  Saying them out loud also helps solidify some of the details in your mind that you were iffy about before.  If you’re lucky, the person you tell your ideas to will ask further questions.

2.  Pace while you think.  I don’t know why, but it helps me a lot to walk around while I’m trying to flesh out my ideas.  Maybe it’s because since the rest of my body is happy and occupied, my brain can focus on my stories better.

3.  Think about it right before you go to sleep.  My best ideas and plot details come from the times when I’m almost asleep.  When I’m lying down with my eyes closed and my brain half-shut, the greatest things pop up in my mind.  I don’t know if it’s the same way with you, but it’s worth a shot.

4.  Pick a random object and think about how your idea relates to it.  If your idea doesn’t relate to it, make it relate. It helps to have something physical to remind you of your idea.  Bonus points if your object is complex and makes you think of your idea in a new way.

The follower of the day is anonymouscatastrophe.